The Long Awaited BarnstableBlog Endorsements

Ok. Ok. Ok.

Hundreds of you have been complaining that the BarnstableBlogster has not made endorsements yet.

With election day right around the corner, here it goes.

For Town Council Races.

Precinct 9

The Blogster has studied this race and the nod goes to JAMES TINSLEY.

Analysis:

Both candidates are political newcomers and both bring enthusiasm and sincere commitment to the race. But after watching the Hyannis Civic Association debate, it is clear that Tinsley brings a higher level of maturity and level-headedness to the race. While this call is relatively close, in the 9th, it's James Tinsley.

Precinct 3

The Council race in the 3d Precinct probably will go down as the most mean-spirited and negative race in the Town's history. For this and other reasons, the Blogster knows that there is only one choice: JAMES MUNAFO.

Analysis:

The reason for the negativity is simple. Eric Schwaab. Schwaab recently moved into Town and just registered to vote. Many still believe that he lives in Brighton.

But Schwaab, working through his Hate Blog, has slashed and burned everything in the Town of Barnstable. He spent two years trying to convince Barnstable residents that things in Town are terrible. Then he offered himself up as the solution.

He has attacked every Town official, every Town employee and every Town volunteer. He has attacked every town initiative no matter what it was.

What a way to win a race. The Schwaab campaign represents the very worst in us. When he loses on Tuesday, Schwaab should spend months thinking about the tragedy that was his campaign. In the end, you can't criticize those around Schwaab, like John Julius, Gary Lopez, and others. The responsibility for the Schwaab campaign's kamikaze strategy is the responsibility of Eric Schwaab. Shame on you!

The campaign has truly gone bizarre in the last few weeks. Posts by Schwaab on his Hate Blog represent a strange and odd way to want to win a race. Just a sampling of Schwaab's rantings:

"I want you all to know something up front.Today, this one car drove by 3 or 4 times. Two creeps were driving. I could tell that they worked for Munafo and just wanted to steal my signs as soon as I left.They drove by three times and flipped me the bird. I want you to know that when my wife joins me on Saturday, I'm bringing a pile of rocks. If these fu---rs drive by and flip my wife the bird, I'm going to knock out their front teeth. I'm don't fucking around with this one. If Munafo's goons go after my wife they are toast."

Is this the guy you want as your Town Councillor?

In Precinct 3, there is only one choice: JAMES MUNAFO.

Precinct 11

In the Precinct 11 race, the nod goes to Henry Farnham.

Analysis:

The Blogster gives the endorsement to Farnham for two reasons. First, Henry "Hank" Farnham has worked hard for his precinct. He goes to meetings, he listens, he learns. He is knowledgeable about Town affairs and has earned the support of the residents. Secondly, this is really a non-race. John Brennan has yet to mount a race. The only reason Brennan is a candidate must be so that Farnham didn't go unopposed. Nice concept. But it doesn't add up to an endorsement.

In the 11th Precinct, it's Henry Farnham.

Wealthy Bostonian Tries to Buy Race

Can you imagine spending over $8000.00 to win a Barnstable Town Council seat?

Yes, I said $8000. Not $80 or even $800. I said $8000.

Too crazy to be true?

Not if your Eric Schwaab. Yes, that's new resident and voter Eric Schwaab from Boston and Hyannis.

According to the Barnstable Patriot, Eric Schwaab has funneled over $8000 of his own money into the race for Town Council.

And if that is not bad enough, he plans to spend $800.00 on a party on Election night.

Whatever happened to a local home grown, hometown race where you bang in a few signs and wear out the old shoe leather going door to door.

I was told by a Hyannis old-timer today, "that is not how you do things in Boston."

I guess it isn't. But why would someone in his right mind spend $8000. for what is essentially a volunteer position.

If Eric Schwaab wins, I guess that our seats are for sale in Barnstable. For sale to the wealthiest party.

Bostonians must think we are all pretty dumb in Barnstable.

The Eric Schwaab Strategy

Move into Town.

Throw in $8000.

Tell a bunch of lies.

Win a Council seat.

Have an $800 party.

Don't we deserve better. Let's tell Eric Schwaab we aren't for sale.

Let's tell him if he want's to buy a seat, go home to Boston.

What do you think?

The Truth About Eric Schwaab

The truth about Eric Schwaab is that he apparently can't tell the truth.

Why would Barnstable residents support a candidate who can't tell the truth? In the end, that is what the Precinct Three Town Council election is all about.

The foundation of the Schwaab run for Town Council is that the incumbent, James Munafo, has been unresponsive to resident concerns. Schwaab say Munafo didn't return the phone calls of his constituents. If true, it is a legitimate claim.

Schwaab said at a recent debate that THE reason why he chose to run was that Munafo did not and would not return his repeated phone calls.

As I said, a pretty legitimate claim, if true.

But when Mr. Munafo reminded Schwaab that Schwaab never called or contacted Mr. Munafo, Schwaab did not refute the charge.

So we have a campaign founded on a lie.

Why would someone/anyone do that?

For all the legitimate reasons one might use to justify a decision to enter a political race, why choose a lie?

And what other claims used by Schwaab are untrue? That asbestos lined pipes cause cancer? That Councilors implemented the bus fees? That Munafo is in favor of raising taxes?

In the end, this race does come down to one issue. Honesty. Or the lack of it.

Here is a guy who just became a resident and registered voter in Barnstable. What do we really know about him?

We know he has tons of time to campaign. We knowhe says he is employed. We know he is affiliated with the likes of John Julius, Gary Lopez and Lou Gonzaga.

But what else do we know?

Other than the fact that he has a tough time with the truth?

Don't we deserve better than that?

What do you think?

Lopez' Kiss of Death

Every Election season over the past few years has included what is known as the Gary Lopez list of losers. They are the blessed few endorsed by Centerville Nut Gary Lopez. So who made the fatal list this year?

Town Council Candidates

Eric Schwaab
Jason Cox
John Brennan


Tax Collector Candidate

Maureen Niemi

School Committee Candidates

Peg Dandridge
Tom Dolby

Charter Commission Candidates

Oliver Cipollini
John Julius
Bradley Ouimette
Taryn Thoman
William Cronin

So, as before, we pass the word to all in Barnstable.

STAY AWAY FROM THESE CANDIDATES.

What do you think?

The Beginning of the End For Schwaab

The Barnstable Patriot formally endorsed James Munafo for Precinct Three Town Council race.

No surprises there.

Why?

Because Eric Schwaab is a self-serving, arrogant, shameless newcomer who knows better than anyone what is right and wrong with this town. If you doubt it, just ask him.

So what did the Patriot say about this race?

Munafo for Town Council

"Jim Munafo has been known to frustrate his colleagues. He’s an adherent to the charter, a stickler for rules and a needed influence on the council.Above all, Munafo is reliable in how he acts, thinks and considers the decisions to be made.

We don’t always agree with those decisions, but we’ve never questioned the integrity with which they were made. In our experience, the same cannot be said of candidate Eric Schwaab, whose dedication to accuracy and fairness we seriously question.Candidate Michael Hersey, who was bested in the preliminary, penned a letter in support of Munafo in which he said Schwaab broke each agreement the two reached during the campaign. That’s similar to our experience with him, as well, and of others with whom we’ve spoken.We give Schwaab credit for engaging his supporters and critics on his Web site. It provides a direct connection to a candidate, allowing everyone the same opportunity for observations and insights. That interaction is valuable and we recommend that voters take a look before going to the polls.Munafo has done the work and deserves the trust of voters."

Well said Barnstable Patriot.

Well said.

The Election In Precinct 3 is Pathetic

Have you ever seen anything like it?

How embarrassing. How sad.

The election for Town Council in Precinct 3 has brought local campaigning to an all time low. Candidate Eric Schwaab started this campaign with a campaign theme that "we can do better". He is right. We do deserve better.

But Eric Schwaab should be shamed of the campaign that he has conducted. It is the very worst of what politics has to offer. Built on fear, person attacks, innuendo, smear and lies.

Council candidate Eric Schwaab has brought local politics to such a low level I wouldn't be surprised if no one showed up to vote.

So far we have seen:

1. A candidates debate with a debate official now admitting he met with Schwaab the night before the debate to discuss issues.

2. Complaints of harassment to Barnstable Police that candidate Schwaab had repeatedly verbally harassed a supporter of his opponent by repeated phone calls to his business.

3. Candidate Schwaab publicly admitting that he went onto private property and illegally removing and stealing a campaign sign of his opponent.

4. Candidate Shwaab starting a cancer scare for no reason but to win votes.

5. Candidate Schwaab alienating almost every sitting Town Councilor by allowing scandalous posts and vicious personal attacks about them on his website. And he expects to work with them after the election?

Barnstable does deserve better. The Cape Cod Times, the Barnstable Patriot, The Register and every radio outlet should endorse Schwaab's opponent by stating that Barnstable is, "a No Place For Hate" community. The hate spewed by candidate Schwaab has never been seen before on this side of the bridge. It might be commonplace in Boston, but is that what we have come to?

Schwaab should take his hateful ways back to his residence in Brighton.

We can do better. Better than Eric Schwaab.


What do you think?

The Shameful, Shameless Politics of Eric Schwaab

There is an old adage in business that says to succeed, you first have to create a crisis, then serve your business up as the solution. It isn't used much because consumers can usually can see through it. Usually.

Sometimes political candidates are pretty good at using this ploy. Sometimes they aren't.

Precinct 3 Town Council candidate Eric Schwaab is the worst.

In what has to be the biggest case of selfish sensationalism and shameful scare tactics ever used in a local political race, Schwaab is creating a cancer scare, then offering him up as the solution. All to win a Barnstable Town Council seat.

Has he no shame? Schwaab is playing with the emotions and trauma of those who have either faced this horrid disease or are afraid of it. All to win seat on our Town Council?

Shameless. Shameful. That's Eric Schwaab. Their must be a special place in hell for those who would resort to such tactics.

What do you think?

Calling All Bloggers--Calling All Bloggers

This guy Eric Schwaab thinks he is the cat's meow. You doubt it? Just ask him.

As Election Day draws nearer, we still don't know squat about this guy. He just showed up. Became a voter about ten minutes ago. He says he has all the answers. So the BB is asking?

Who knows this guy? His background? Any interesting stories? Any run-ins with Mr. Eric Schwaab?

Let's find out who this guy really is.

What say you Bloggers?

Hate comes back to haunt the The Hate Blogs

For several years, the Hate Blogs, written by two guys named Gary Lopez and Eric Schwaab, viciously attacked numerous people in Town Hall. One of them was Bob Smith, the Town lawyer. They called Bob everything in the book. They questioned his competence, his honesty, his integrity and his morals. They unmercifully attacked him. Bob died a few days ago.


Now Schwaab and Lopez are calling him a good guy. They're saying we should honor his memory. They say we should be sensitive to his wife and kids. They are saying he did some great things for our town. They say Mr. Smith was a wonderful guy. Oh really?


Where was Schwaab and Lopez' sympathy and sensitivity when Bob was alive? Were they thinking about how their mean spirited and hateful attacks were impacting Bob and his family when Bob was alive?

Bob had a lot of friends. Even if we didn't know Bob, we admired him. Almost everyone in Town did.

Except for Eric Schwaab and Gary Lopez.

Hate does come back to haunt the hate blogs.

What do you think?

The Problem With Schwaab

Congratulations to all Premary Election candidates, winners and losers alike, for their commitment to our Town.

Now the real work begins. In the 3d Precinct, James Munafo will face Eric Schwaab. Schwaab, a newcomer who is sponsored by the hate blogs, says we can do better. He is right about the fact that Barnstable should always work to do better. But his cheap campaign slogan seems more than a tad bit opportunistic. So what are Schwaab's campaign issues? He says he has three.

1. He favors the residential exemption, or a tax break for full time residents, at the expense of second home owners. Munafo apparently doesn't. But wait. Munafo doesn't want a tax increase for anyone. Schwaab favors a tax increase for second homeowners. Precinct Three residents should be leery that if he supports a tax increase for second homeowners today, who will be next? Do you want a candidate who does not believe in tax increases for anyone, or do you want a candidate who SUPPORTS tax increases for one group today, another tomorrow.


2. Schwaab is for eliminating the School Committee's bus fees. But wait a minute. Munafo is against the fees too. So the difference is?


3. Schwaab says he wants to replace the water pipes in Hyannis because some contain asbestos. But wait a minute. Isn't Munafo for improving the infrastructure too? Schwaab shamelessly wants you to believe that there is asbestos in our water. Sounds like a scare tactic to me.

So what is the problem with Schwaab? He is too gimmicky. He has no local experience and has just became a voter. He has proven that he can't and won't work with anyone to build consensus. In short, he will not get anything done.


He also has much to answer for in running a mean spirited hate blog for two years.

And we can't figure out what he really does for a living. All he has done, over the past six months according to his own testimony, is campaign. If that is true, he is either independently wealthy or unemployed.


In addition, he has brutally attacked good and kind residents who had the decency to run for office, like Michael Hersey. He has attacked residents like Deb Krau and Allan Goddard on the Hyannis Water Board. Unlike Schwaab, they choose to do more than complain by volunteering.


Schwaab has attacked and aliented Hyannis and/or Barnstable residents like Representative Demetrius Atsalis, Senator Rob O'Leary, Town Manager John Klimm, Water Board Chairman Deb Krau, the members of the Hyannis Chamber of Commerce, the Business Improvement District, Main Street merchants, Hyannis Golf Club golfers, to name but a few.


And now his last minute attempt to suck up to residents just won't work. Our residents are not that dumb.


That is the problem with Eric Schwaab. He is arrogant, he is mean-sprited and he thinks we are all dumb. So maybe we are too dumb. Too dumb to vote for you Eric.

What do you think?

Election Day Around the Corner

We're into the swing of things in Barnstable with Election Day right around the corner. Barnstable citizens will have an opportunity to vote in the preliminary election on Tuesday, September 18th for at least one race (depending on where you live, it may be more).

For Tax Collector, the BarnstableBlogster hopes that Maureen Niemi and Gary Brown advance to the final elections. Why?

Because both have a record of accomplishment in the Town of Barnstable. Ms. Niemi is presently employed by the Tax Collector's Office. She obviously brings some hands on experience that would serve us well.

Gary Brown has many years of dedicated and committed service to the Town as a Town Councilor and a volunteer on many efforts. He also is a decorated Veteran which means much to the Blogster. He has the educational background and the experience to serve us well.

We hope Niemi and Brown advance.

In the Hyannis based precincts we have two preliminary contests. The Barnstable Blogster believes that Barnstable would be best served if Michael Hersey and James Munafo advance in Precinct 3 (although Eric Schwaab has waged a serious challenge) and Lou Gonzaga and James Tinsley in Precinct 9.

See you at the polls!

An Embarrassing Record of Failure

The Hate Blogs, authored by Gary Lopez and Eric Schwaab, have been whacking away with their mean-spirited attacks on hard working and decent town employees, elected officials and volunteers for two years.

They said they represent the vast majority of Barnstable residents. They promised to field a slate of candidates in every race. The results thus far?

Councilor James Crocker is unopposed.

Councilor Anne Canedy is unopposed.

Councilor Greg Milne is unopposed.

Councilor Rick Barry is unopposed.

Councilor Henry Farnham is facing a challenge from John Brennan, who ran against Farnham four years ago and is not a Lopez candidate.

Councilor James Munafo has two challengers. One is Michael Hersey who is a local lawyer and not affiliated with Lopez. The other is Eric Schwaaab, the only Hate Blog candidate in this year's Council race.

Councilor Gary Brown is term-limited out. Three candidates are vying for the seat, Jason Cox, Lou Gongaga and James Tinsley, none of which are Hate Blog sponsored candidates.

The net result? After a six month recruiting effort, the Hate Blogs, AKA Gary Lopez and Eric Schwaab, convinced the grand total of ONE person to run for Town Council. Eric Schwaab.

And let us not forget the School Committee race. Three incumbents, Patrick Murphy, David Lawler and Peg Dandritch are up for re-election. Former Superintendent Tom MacDonald tossed his hat in the ring, too. He obviously is not a Hate Blog candidate. He cares about Barnstable too much.

Two hate Blog candidates have entered the race, Thomas Dolby and Sean Walsh. So the Hate Blogs recruited two candidates.

One just dropped out. Sean Walsh announced he is no longer in the race.

That means there is only one candidate left, Thomas Dolby.

So that means that after months of recruiting, Lopez and Schwaab recruited a grand total of three candidates. One dropped out. That leaves Tom Dolby and one other. Eric Schwaab.

An embarrassing record of failure.

What do you think?

Don't Cry For Me Gary Lopez

I know. I know. The Hate Blogs hate it when the BarnstableBlogger toots Barnstable's horn. TOOT. TOOT.

All they do is cry everytime something good happens in Barnstable.

The Hate Blogs, AKA Gary Lopez and Eric Schwaab, spend two years beating the daylights out of the Town. Why?

Because they hate the Town of Barnstable. And they will NEVER admit that we are a wonderful community. They are miserable people. Terminally depressed, mean-spirited and angry people who want to assume the worst in life.

What will they do when they hear about the latest financial good news in Barnstable? Lopez and Schwaab will proclaim that the fix was in. They will say that Finance Director Mark Milne is related to a Moody. They will say anything to make the town look bad.

Well, too bad for them.

The Barnstable Patriot covered the story about our Town's incredible financial position. And what did they say?

Barnstable bond rating upgraded by Moody’s
Second best rating given

By David Still IImailto:IIdstill@barnstablepatriot.com

The Town of Barnstable now has two bond ratings to be proud of.
Town finance director Mark Milne was informed this week that Moody’s investment house had upgraded Barnstable two positions to Aa1, a step below its highest.


According to a memo from Milne to Town Manager John Klimm, it was Moody’s, not the town, that sought to take another look. Moody’s last rated the town in 1999, giving it an Aa3 rating, three steps below the highest.
Barnstable’s upgraded bond rating essentially translates into a higher credit score for the town.


Milne wrote, "Moody’s felt they owed it to bond holders who are holding town bonds that were rated by them to update the bond rating." The benefit to bond holders is that the new rating provides a higher-graded investment "which could bring them more money if they decided to sell it," Milne wrote.


In an interview this week, Milne said that the town stopped using Moody’s as its rating company after 1999 "because we didn’t think they really understood Cape Cod communities."


In addition, Moody’s stuck close to the numbers, instead of reviewing overall management practices and decisions in a community.


"Management decisions can affect a bond rating more quickly than anything else," Milne said.


In his memo, Milne wrote, "There are only 7 other communities rated Aa1 by Moody’s in MA (Acton, Bedford, Boston, Lincoln, Sudbury, Waltham, and Westwood). Both are excellent bonds ratings which the community can be very proud of."


The town’s financial advisors indicated that it would be unusual for a rating to jump three rankings at once. Milne expressed confidence that the town could achieve Moody’s highest rating "so long as the town does not deviate significantly from the course it has been following."
Barnstable received an AAA rating from Standard and Poor’s earlier this year in association with a sizeable bond issue.


That rating allowed the town to sell its bonds in the retail market for the first time, providing competition among bidders and a lower rate on the bonds.
The two ratings are independent of one another. Moody’s new rating does not affect the bonds issued under the AAA rating from Standard and Poor’s."

Another victory for the hard working employees and the citizens of Barnstable.

Lopez and Schwaab are just going to have to cry in their spilt milk. Again.

Don't Cry for Us Gary Lopez.

What do you think?

It's Laughing at Lopez

All you can do is laugh. This guy Lopez is so out of touch it is pathetic. His blog, CapeKog is deemed at best, a joke. So what is the latest illogical, inaccurate and embarrassing post from Lopez?

"Breaking news….Niedzwieki out of Cape Cod Commission…

COG sources report that the Cape Cod Commissioners have decided against Barnstable Assistant Manager, Paul Niedzwieki, for the Cape Cod Commission Director’s job.
Paul, who is scheduled to have an interview for the job tomorrow, might just as well stay home. If there are COGgers out there who know Paul, why don't you call him and save him the trip down here....

COG advises Paul N. to look for work north of the two bridges, because his name is tarnished locally. Good luck in your career, Paul, because from this corner, it looks like you’ll need it…
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush…It's not to smart to give up a job that pays $100,000+ when you don't have another in hand. As far as COG is concerned it's good riddance the bad rubbish, because you weren't worth the money on the town job."

So Paul Niedzwiecki is not getting the job, right? He is the only one being interviewed and is rumored to already have the job. Are there any lights left on in Gary's head?

So what else does Lopez say?

My sources haven't been wrong yet. The whole idea of blogs is to pull back the drapes and open the window on corrupt practices. Just like lifting up a boulder and watching the bugs all flee in every direction, the corruption, once under the spotlight goes away. Niedzwieki may be interviewed today, but he won't be hired. There are at least ten others who filled out applications, and are scheduled to be interviewed next week. I believe the decision won't be made until the second week in September. I'm batting 1,000, it's you're right to bet against me."

There isn't one ounce of fact in anything in the last paragraph. There are no interviews other than Niedzwiecki's. The decision will be made next week. Lopez is batting about 125.

Lopez' latest predictions are so bad, one must wonder if he is suffering from Alzheimers. What a joke.

It's Laughing at Lopez.

What do you think?

Let's Elect Einstein for Councilor

This guy, Eric Schwaab, is real bright. He can sure pick issues to run on. Yes, this guy is something to behold. If you doubt it, just ask him.

Let's take a look at his priorities, also known as convenient no-brainers for politicians.

SCHWAAB'S CAMPAIGN ISSUES

Issue #1. Let's eliminate the Bus Fees for school children. Now there is an issue if I ever saw one.

Wait a minute, though. Did Councilor Munafo vote for or support the bus fees? Did Candidate Hersey come out in favor of the bus fees when we weren't looking?
Now that you ask, have you ever met anyone who is FOR bus fees? (other than the School Committee who unfortunately implemented them so that they could give large pay increases to school staff?)

The point is no one wants the fees. But has candidate Schwaab EVER attended a School Committee meeting to ask that the vote be rescinded? Has he ever lobbied School Committee members to change their vote? Has he ever done anything to correct the situation? Or is he just looking for issues to run a political campaign on?

Issue #2. Maintain the Residential Exemption at current levels.

I'll tell you something. That candidate Eric Schwaab should be up for the next edition of Profiles In Courage. He says, let's tax non-residents more than the rest of us. You now the theme, screw 'um since they can't vote. (interesting stance from one now that he has finally become a Barnstable resident).

Issue #3. Implement the Split Tax as recommended by the citizen committee who developed the proposal.

Hey Candidate Schwwaab, I thought it was Lopez and Julius who recommended the split tax rate. So, it was the citizens committee after all. Thanks for the clarification. Once again, the majority of Precinct 3 voters are not small business owners so guess what? Another nomination for Profiles in Courage.

Issue #4. Rebuild the water company by replacing the asbestos/concrete pipes - sooner rather than later.

Interesting recommendation from someone who could have become a major player on the issue, but quit. Since then, has candidate Schwaab attended meetings of the Water Committee to convince the citizens committee to add his recommendations to the long range plan? We all know the answer to that one, too.

Issue #5 Fix our Roads.

Now there is an issue that differentiates the candidates from candidate Schwaab. I am sure Councilor Munafo and candidate Hersey are Pro-Pothole candidates. I am sure they DON'T want the roads fixed.

But wait a minute. Didn't Councilor Munafo support the longe range Roads plan passed by our Council?

Why do I have this strange feeling that, once again, candidate Schwaab has done nothing other than offer criticism.

All of this leads to the real question, is this about making our community better or is it really about doing anything or saying anything to get elected to office. Is this about Barnstable or about Eric Schwaab?

Put it this way folks..... it ain't about Barnstable.

What do you think?

A Review- Aselton Park Alive and Well

One of the wonders of the Summer Season in Hyannis has been the addition of live entertainment and theater on Aselton Park in Hyannis.

Aselton Park, named after a Barnstable Police Officer killed in the line of duty, has been transformed into a beautiful and vibrant Park with performances all summer long. An interesting mix of locals and tourists join together bringing lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

The wonderful volunteers and staff responsible for the creation and expansion of activities on Aselton Park should be recognized for a job well done.

Hyannis is alive and well. If you haven't experienced it lately, you should.

What do you think?

Arrogance and Ego are Terrible Things to Waste

If you doubt it, just ask Town Council Candidate Eric Schwaab.

Schwaab wrote a note to his opponent, Michael Hersey, on the great new website by the Barnstable Patriot, www.barnstablepatriot.com/joomla .

The note defies any sense of logic, sportsmanship or mutual respect.

Schwaab writes, "If you support Hersey, I suggest you tell him to get the word out on his campaign. " (How arrogant do you have to be to tell your opponents supporters what they should be doing?)

Schwaab continues, "I've respect Micahel(?), but he has been very slow to get the word out on his campaign." (How arrogant do you have to be to criticize your opponents strategy in the campaign. We are not even close to the Preliminary Election yet. It really sounds like old Eric is more than a tad bit concerned about Mr. Hersey, doesn't it?)

Have you had enough arrogance yet?

Schwwab continues, "This may be because he's taken very middle of the road positions on taxes, roads and Barlaco land deal. We have a lot of work to do rebuilding our roads and fixing our water system in Hyannis. My concern with Hersey is that he doesn't have a fire in his belly. (So we are to believe that good old Eric is CONCERNED that Mr. Hersey does not have fire in his belly? How well does Schwaab know Mr. Hersey? I thought we read that they just met? Once again, it looks like Schwaab is scared to death of this guy.)

Schwaab concludes, "I'm concerned, he won't get the job done..... " P.S. Does anyone know where he stands on bus fees? (Does anyone care where Mr. Hersey stands on bus fees? He is not running for School Committee, the body that gave us the bus fees.)

The Schwaab note smacks of arrogance, from an obvious control freak who wants to set all the rules of the campaign. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't work that way.

The BarnstableBlogger has some advice for Eric Schwaab. Why not let the good citizens of Precinct 3 worry about Mr. Hersey.

Your Arrogance Runneth Over!

What do you think?

Precinct Three- The Issues, The Answers

The issues being raised in the Precinct 3 Council race are an interesting snapshot of the candidates raising them. Candidate Eric Schwaab continues to raise the Town's acquisition of the Barnstable Water Company several years ago. Fair enough.

The problem with candidate Schwaab is that he attempts to create a crisis and then serves himself up as the solution. Not a bad strategy, but for the fact that many of his potential constituents, unlike himself, have been around too long to buy it.

For decades, Hyannis was served by a self-serving private corporation who refused to spend one dime on improving the system as they extracted every dime out of the company for profit. The Hyannis Fire District, which has always had the right to buy the company, refused to step forward for over ten years. Then a Connecticut Corporation stepped up and bought the company. Once again, the Fire District refused to step forward.

So, the town finally did. The company is now in public ownership and , for the first time, repairs are being made.

Candidate Schwaab has some problems with that. Fair enough. What are his complaints?

First, he says we paid too much. Not so, according to a Cape Cod Times article quoting not one, but two experts in the utilities field.

Next, he says the plan to fix the infrastructure is ill-conceived. It may or may not be. But why did Eric Schwaab quit serving on the committee of citizens overseeing the operation? Also, why has Eric Schwaab not attended subsequent meetings (all open the public) to offer advice, criticisms or suggestions? I would hate to think it is because he wanted to use the criticism as a campaign issue.

And lastly, Candidate Schwaab criticizes the rate increase recently passed. A 5.75 annual increase from date of purchase is too much? The rates in the Hyannis area have not been increased since 1998. Wasn't it clear that whomever purchased the company, that increases would be necessary to fund a rebuild of the system?

The point is that Eric Schwaab has every right to criticize the Town's purchase. The question is, why has he ONLY criticized and not attempted to offer solutions in a venue that matters?

What do you think?

Does Everyone Really Hate the Tax Collector?

No. Not really. Historically, the tax collector was the person we loved to hate. Not hate personally. We just hated the thought of handed over our hard earned earnings to the King, Queen, President, Governor or Selectmen. It is as distasteful as April 15th, Tax Day each year.

In Barnstable, our Tax Collectors have all been decent, honorable, and even likable sorts. Our retiring Tax Collector is a delightful and wonderful public servant. And the next one will be, also.

But there is some controversy in this year's race for Tax Collector. It seems there is a local regulation that prohibits existing Town employees from getting paid, if they are a candidate for elective office.

The story goes that the regulation was overlooked by all and that now one of the candidates, Maureen Niemi, who also happens to be the present Assistant Tax Collector, is facing lose of pay until the election.

The BarnsableBlogger thinks that this is a fairness issue. If no one informed Ms. Niemi of this regulation, it should be waived this year. Apparently, the Personnel Board has the authority to recommend this. This is not an endorsement of this candidate, but simply a statement that she was not dealt a fair hand. The Personnel group should meet ASAP. And they should waive the regulation.

And then we should enjoy a spirited, enlightening and fair race.

What do you think?

So Much Happening in Barnstable Today

There is no doubt that Barnstable is a community on the move. A week doesn't pass without reading another story of unselfish dedication by our citizens, a new or improved program by our local government or another recognition or award achieved through the hard work of many.

We read this week that the Assistant Town Manager, Paul Nedzweicki, will be leaving for greener pastures. He has done an admirable job over the past few years and apparently is in line to become the new Director of the Cape Cod Commission.

That is good news for Nedzwiecki, good news for the Cape Cod Commission and, having him there, good news for the Town of Barnstable.

We also read about an upcoming meeting between the Airport Commission and the Town Council. Apparently, the Airport Commission has finally heard the pleas of the Town Administration who has insisted that they scale back on the project so that the Town is not placed in financial jeopardy and that we make sure the environment is protected and traffic congestion reduced. The BarnstableBlogger will again comment when the details of the plan are known.

The Council also has a huge opportunity to set a new tone at the Airport with new appointments to the Airport Commission. We continue to advocate for new faces on the Airport Commission.

We also applaud several new programs being proposed by Town Hall. One would finally address the issue of our access to our oceans and harbors. As a fisherman, I applaud any effort to improve our ways to water, boar ramps, etc.

I also see that the Manager is proposing a new program to help our residents who were left out in the cold when we adopted the confusing residential exemption. While the details are sketchy, it sounds both innovative and also simply the fair and just thing to do.

We are also beginning to hear from the candidates for local offices, whether it be the School Committee, Town Council, Tax Collector or Charter Commission. The BarnstableBlogger reminds all candidates that we recieve over 250 visitors a day and we welcome any and all candidates to write explaining why we should vote for them. Please don't waste our time telling us what's wrong with the other guy(gal), but what is right with you.

As I said, another interesting week in Barnstable.

What do you think?

The Lopez Record of Failure

Gary Lopez has a record best summed up in one word- Failure.


The Lopez record is one of spending years yapping about school funding. The net result is a huge failure. We are still woofully underfunded. He failed.


Then he ran for various elective offices. All failures.

Then he spearheaded an effort to take the Town to court relating to the Hyannis Water Company. Another failure.

Then he supported a split tax rate. Another failure.

Then he backed Fire District consolidation. He was so successful we are down to, well, five Fire Districts.

Instead of working to solve problems, Lopez has run one kamakazi mission after another. All collossal failures.

He has now reduced his commentary to personal attacks on Town Councilors and other Town officials.

That is one interesting record. The common thread?

FAILURE!


What do you think?

The Anatomy of The Lopez Lie

It's usually grounded on at least a morsel of truth. Usually. That is how Gary Lopez and his Jester, John Julius, start their argument. But it all too quickly morphs into utter lunacy with the insertion of half-truths, lies and distortions. They will say anything to attempt to prove a point. And if their diatribes were accurate, they would.


But they never stick to the truth. Never.


Case is point. The Town's legal staff. Lopez and Jester Julius have spent two years attacking the Town's legal staff. Of course, one of the Hate Blog's strategies have been using (abusing) the legal system to attempt to smear our local government. What consistently has stopped them from succeeding is the combination of foolish claims and a talented Town legal staff that slam-dunks these guys at every turn.


Lopez and Jester Julius have continually stated that the Town has 11,12 or 13 attorney's and that we spend too much on legal staff.


The BarnstableBlogster spend one half an hour researching to get to the truth. Barnstable has a staff of 3 attorney's in the Legal Office (since 1994). Three. Not 11, 12 or 13. Three.


In addition, the School Department has historically used contracted attorney's but after conducting an audit, it was determined that over $100,000 a year could be saved by hiring an in-house attorney. So they did and have saved a ton of money, according to local reports.



So when Lopez and Jester Julius finally got their ears pinned back (again), what was their explanation?


That they were including the following people as Town Attorney's:

Ann Canedy, $7,500


Fred Chirigotis, $7,500

Richard Barry, $7,500

Tom Rugo, $7,500

Bob Smith, $125,000

David Houghton, $90,000

Patty Daly, $65,000

School Attorney- $100,000

Is my math all messed up or what? Does that come to 11, 12 or 13?


Of course the first four aren't Town Attorney's, they are Town Councilors. They are citizens who came forward and ran for office. They just happen to be lawyers. To count them on a list of Town Attorney's is not only deceptive and dishonest, but untruthful. Should citizens who happen to hold a law degree be excluded from public service?


So then we turn to Asst. Town Manager Paul Niedzwiecki and Growth Management staff Ruth Weil and Pat Daley. Each has a long list of responsibilities, none of which is to practice law or is associated with their law degree. They just happen to be very well educated and are capable managers. If all three resigned today, we assume the Town would rehire staff since they are providing vital town support. And of course, they forgot the third attorney in the legal office.

But to continuously state that the town has 11,12 or 13 attorney's would lead anyone to assume that the legal office is staffed with 11,12 or 13 lawyers. It is not, and has never been,according to official records. That is the truth.

Lopez and Jester Julius have not told the truth. They have practiced in a huge way the very deception that they chronically accuse town government of.

Lopez and Jester Julius need to come clean and tell the truth. The Town has three Attorney's under town management and the School Department has one.

Those are called facts. For two years, Lopez and Jester Julius has deceived the general public. But that ain't the worst of it.

The worst of it is that both, always knew the truth and chose to lie. Is that the type of reform we need?

What do you think?

Can We Afford John Julius?

John Julius paints himself as a man on a mission. His mission, so he says, is to cut the cost of government. He is the self appointed, self-anointed spokesperson for all. If you doubt it, just ask him.

Just don't ask anyone else. Most local citizens would either not know him from Adam or else say, he's the nut that gets up at the Town Council meetings every month to hear himself speak. That is him all right.

He goes on and on on the local Hate Blogs about how he is uncovering the truth about government expenditures. They're hiding things. They're dishonest. They're crooks. They're thieves. Blah. Blah.Blah. He doesn't just take on a few. They're all crooks. All Town employees. All dedicated volunteers. Any citizen tied to our town government. Everyone!

In his latest rantings, he allegedly has asked the Town Finance supervisor to give him a complete record of the expenditures relating to outside legal work. The special lawyers on particular cases such as the Airport lawsuit, etc.

It will be interesting to see the final tally. But not for the reason Julius states. You see, a major tax dollar expenditure made recently was to defend the town against a lawsuit filed by none other than...John Julius.

Julius swore that the crooks did this and the crooks did that. That everything was illegal. And what did the judge say? He tossed the case out of court before it even went to trial because every count was laughable. But not before the town had to, to protect the interests of our community, expend funds to hire legal specialists.

The Barnstableblogger cannot wait until we find out how much the Town (read we taxpayers) had to pay BECAUSE of Julius' foolish lawsuit.

When we find out, we will call it the Julius surtax. The amount of money we had to pay for the foolishness of one complete fool.

What do you think?

Some Great Press for Hyannis!

Did you happen to catch Fox TV recently reviewing the Village of Hyannis? What a great piece. Doug Meehan, who grew up in Yarmouth and now is seen every morning on Fox TV- Channel 13, hosts a weekend getaway segment. It looked GREAT!

If you haven't it yet, check it out at:

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=3958975&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=5.7.1

Main Street, the Waterfront and our local restaurants and Inns (the Anchor Inn receives special recognition for being a great spot to spend a few days at a great location) all receive rave reviews by Doug.

Thanks Doug Meehan for spreading the good word. Hyannis is a great place to visit and a wonderful place to live.

Hyannis is great and getting better everyday!

What do you think?

A New and Positive Candidate?

I take it that Eric Schwaab is one of the 230 who visited Barnstableblog.blogspot.com yesterday. A loyal visitor just forwarded me his latest hate blog post. A new and positive (for the first time ever) Eric Schwaab has apparently emerged. How convenient!

Even though the forwarder says don't buy into this obvious campaign transformation, I'll bite.

You see, the Blogster could take any of the few issues Schwaab has focused on over the past few years and start asking questions. Take the Water Company acquisition for example.

Schwaab thinks we paid too much. Not according to two independent water utility experts contacted by the Cape Cod Times in a feature story several years ago. But maybe Schwaab knows more than the experts.

Schwaab also has criticized the capital plan that a dedicated group of Hyannis residents, who have volunteered to serve on the Water Board, have drafted, after consulting with many experts in the fields of water utility infrastructure and water quality. Once again, Schwaab second guesses our neighbors who have spent hundreds of hours putting the plan together. As a matter of fact, Schwaab was appointed to serve on the precursor to the present Board, and quit when he didn't get his way. Has he attended any Water Board meetings over the past few years and offered public input? Or has he simply criticized the work of others after the fact?

The private Barnstable Water Company is now publicly owned and guided by a well-respected group of Hyannis residents and business persons.

It seems that Schwaab doesn't want to solve problems or even roll up his sleeves to search for solutions. It appears that Schwaab wants to simply criticize, personally attack and demean the many who get involved.

Is that the type of Councilor you want on the Barnstable Town Council?

What do you think?

Schwaab Loses Election- Takes Negativity Back Home

That's it. That will be the headline in the local paper after the election.

Why?

Because for some unknown reason, Town Council candidate Eric W. (WHO) Schwaab can't stay positive. He has just begun his campaign and he (and/or his blog) has defamed both of his opponents in the race.

We don't even know who Eric W. (WHO) Schwaab is, other than the guy who viciously has allowed attacks on the practice of religion of one of his opponents and the business associations of the other.

That is what we know about Eric W. (WHO) Schwaab. He just became a voter in our community and he has spent several years as the host of a local Hate Blog. Several years of vicious and mean-spirited attacks on anyone and everyone who is associated with the very town that he now wants to govern.

His campaign strategy? Win by smearing your opponents.

It won't work. Barnstable is better than that. Our citizens are better than that.

Either change your tactics or take you Boston politics back to Boston!

What do you think?

They're Off- It's Going to be Horse Race Folks

You heard it here first. As of 5 p.m. today, the slate of candidates is set (except for Charter Commission) for the 2007 Elections.


The Races to Watch-


The Preliminary Race in Hyannis will pit incumbent James Munafo against local Attorney Michael Hersey and newcomer and hate blogger Eric W. (Who) Schwaab.

The School Committee race pits three incumbents, David Lawler, Patrick Murphy and Peg Dandrich and Tom Dolby, Sean Walsh and Tom McDonald.

The Precinct 13 race pits incumbent Greg Milne against Hyannis native Ron Semprini.

Let the contests begin!

What do you think?

The Facts are The Facts

A further evaluation of the slate of potential candidates for this year's local elections is interesting.


Those incumbent Councilors who face a challenge (assuming the requirements of candidacy are met) include Henry Farnham and Greg Milne. Each face the potential of one opponent.


Mr. Farnham might face John Brennan, who has been active in West Barnstable Fire District politics, has served on several Town boards and committees and formerly ran for the Town Council.


Mr. Milne might face Ronald Semprini, a local businessman with strong local ties. His dad, Ed Semprini, still writes for the local newspaper but for years was the voice of radio news on Cape Cod.


It is still way to early to call either race, as a spirited campaign is expected in both precincts.


It is interesting to note that Henry Farnham has been, as both Councilor and former Council president, the recipient of regular attacks by the hate blogs. That only one other candidate choosing to run against him previously ran for the seat. This is a telling sign of the lack of influence of the hate Bloggers.

On the other hand, Greg Milne has been the darling of the likes of Gary Lopez and John Julius. That he would appear to also face an opponent, further confirms that belief.

So, after months of effort for the hate bloggers to get candidates to run for the various Town Council seats, Gary Lopez, John Julius and Eric Schwaab came up with ONE candidate for the Town Council. Eric Schwaab.

And he had to become a voter to qualify.

Oh my!

Election Season Almost Here

The 2007 Election Season is almost here in Barnstable. Today (Friday) was the last day that interested candidates could take out nomination papers for the various local offices, with the exception of the Charter Commission that has a deadline in September. Some interesting trends appear to be taking shape.

According to the Barnstable Patriot, the following incumbent Town Councilors appear to be cruising to a victory unopposed: Ann Canedy, James Crocker and Richard Barry. The Patriot reports that Jim Munafo appears to be facing opposition from local Attorney Michael Hersey and new voter and Hate Blogger Eric Schwaab. There also is an open seat for the term limited Gary Brown and Jason Cox, Lou Gonzaga and James Tinsley have pulled papers to run.

And what about Councilor Greg Milne? The BarnstableBlogster has just learned that Ron Semprini of Hyannis has entered the race. That should be an interesting one to watch!

So what can we make of the fact that three incumbents are running unopposed. The street tells us that:

1. There is a general level of satisfaction of those running unopposed, and
2. Potential candidates have been turned off by the mean-spirited attacks of the hate bloggers and their mouth-pieces.

What do you think?

Town Council Derserves Credit for Airport Action

Hats off to our Town Council for speaking out against our Airport administration and Commission. The BarnstableBlogger has been vocal in our opposition to Barnstable Airport practices and we have advocated changes and reforms.



It now appears that the Council is ready to take real action by changing the makeup of the Commission and thus the direction of its leadership.



Individual Councilors have raised serious concerns about the scope and purpose of the new terminal project and have also questioned the airport's impact on water quality.




We thank the Council for their leadership on this issue!



What do you think?

Eric W. Schwaab For President

That is what we will probably be reading in a few months. If we are to believe the rumors, Eric W. Schwaab (W for Who) is now contemplating a run for Town Council. It won't be long before the largest Ego this side of Brighton will be announcing for State Senator. Then Governor. And before you know it, President.

You have to hand it to this guy. He is a legend in his own mind.

Never mind that we couldn't find ten people in Barnstable that even knows who this guy is. So we are to believe that Eric W. Schwaab is going to get the thousands of votes necessary to win both the election for Charter Commission town-wide and now, the hundreds of votes necessary in his precinct for Town Council.

What a loser. Can you think of three larger losers than Gary Lopez, John Julius and Eric W. Schwaab.

The Moe, Larry and Curley of Barnstable politics!

John Julius the Jester

We have spent a little time talking about a senile coot named Gary Lopez. But what about his spokesman, John Julius, who shows up at every Town Council meeting and reads a statement formulated by Gary Lopez.


Julius, a local realtor for Today Real Estate, has announced his candidacy for the Barnstable Charter Commission, making him a public figure. He has, quite ironically, thus lost the privacy protection that puts him in the same category as those who he has viciously attacked for several years.


Julius is what you call a one trick pony. The message is the same no matter who he is talking about. Whether it is a Councilor, Committee volunteer or Town employee, everyone (except him, of course) is a moron, a liar, a cheat, a criminal. Everyone. Except him. And Gary Lopez, of course.

Gary says jump. John says how high. Gary announces his candidacy for Charter Commission. John announces his candidacy for Charter Commission. The King and the Jester.

What a pair! We'll have more about the Jester soon.

Stay tuned.

The Bizarre World of Lopez

He's living in another world. A fairy (no pun intended) land of good is bad and bad is good. He has a slant on everything that happens in Barnstable. Of course it is always through his prism. Which can be pretty wacky at times.

Some of Gary Lopez' favorite theories over the past few weeks?

1. The Town of Barnstable bribed the bond rating agencies to get the highest possible bond rating that any community can receive;

2. The Town of Barnstable bribed the National Civic League to get the prestigious All America City Award;

3. The Town of Barnstable took private contributions to pay for said trip and paid the business community back with a uniform tax rate; and

4. the Town went on the America City trip without a budget.

And you wonder why every local media outlet sees Gary as a nut and has concluded that Lopez must be suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease?

And have you ever seen this guy? He's kind of a cross between Otis Campbell and Professor Irwin Corey.

The difference between the print media and the local blogs is that there is at least some accountability with the newspapers. As far as the hate Blogs are concerned--

It is the Bizarre World of Lopez!

What do you think?

Gary Lopez is a Joke

You have to hand it to him. Gary Lopez is entertaining. Dumb, but entertaining. He'll criticize and attack anything at any time. His latest post is a case in point.

He apparently writes a post to encourage citizens to get involved by volunteering on Town Boards and Committees. Of course, he has done everything in his power (which isn't much) to create such a negative atmosphere in Town that no one would want to volunteer. Who wants to be personally and viciously attacked on a daily basis on blogs which can be read by family members, friends, etc.

Then he attacks an incredible human being who has served with distinction on the school committee for many years by declaring her as unfit because she is in her eighties. Wait a minute-- Isn't Gary almost there himself? I guess we should not consider his candidacy for Charter Commission.

Then he goes on and on about our local economy. His solution? Gambling. That's right. Casino Gambling in Barnstable. That is a great economic development plan. Hey Gary, what about legalizing prostitution..or drugs.

How can you write a post talking about our kids future and, in it, advocate casino gambling in Barnstable? You ask why Lopez has no credibility?

Now, the only forum he has left are the blogs. You see, he has lost all credibility with the local press because... well, let's just say some of us are truth challenged. He also rarely if ever appears personally at a meeting because, well, let's just say that some of us have trouble completing a sentence. So he usually gets his minion, John Julius, to do the dirty work for him. Every week he calls Johnny with the play book and gives him the speech to be given at the Council meeting. Good work John!

So Gary doesn't have many options left. He resorts to sitting at home and attacking away. Personal, mean-spirited attacks on anyone and everyone who volunteers their time to make our community better.

And Gary thinks we have a problem getting more people involved. Gee, I wonder why?

What do you think?

Is Schwaab out of Touch?

You get to know someone by looking to see who they associate with. In the case of new voter Eric Schwaab, what does his best friends Gary Lopez and John Julius do for his image? He'll find out on Election Day!

And in this case, you kind of get to know someone by the candidates he endorses. Since no one knows anything about Eric Schwaab, let's take a look at who he endorsed during the last election on his Hate Blog. (even though he wasn't even a voter)


"Cape Cod Living Reader Endorsements "

Precinct 4: Ted Panitz.

Ted Who?

Precinct 6: Joe Pino vs Janet Joakim - TOSS UP

Now there's a courageous endorsement. Eric Schwaab is so out of touch, he called Janet Joakim, "Janice" Joakim.


Precinct 8: John Alden.

Alden got blown away by Harold Tobey, even with his great name recognition.

School Committee: Dagwan and Porteus.

Hey-- he got one right with Deb Dagwan. But he supported Rick Porteus.

Enough said.

What else do we know about Schwaab? He criticized the acquisition of the private Barnstable Water Company in Hyannis, after the fact, of course.


He believed that it was a bad deal and even supported a law suit against the Town, which cost Barnstable taxpayers thousands of dollars. Of course, the Town won the case when the Judge threw it out as a frivolous suit.


Schwaab's position is contrary to the position of every Town Councilor who represents parts of Hyannis including Councillors Tobey, Milne, Rugo and Brown and of the Hyannis Civic Association, Hyannis Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Business Improvement District. He quit his seat on a citizens group to oversee the new enterprise as soon as he was appointed. Too busy, I guess.

Of course, Eric Schwaab arrogantly thinks he knows better than anyone else including our elected representatives.

And just think. He only been a registered voter for 3 days!

Can you imagine how arrogant he will be when he's been a voter for a month?


What do you think?

Eric Schwaab Already in Trouble

Eric Schwaab really knows how to start off with a bang. He hasn't been a candidate for office (or a voter, for that matter) for a day and Hate Blogger Eric Schwaab of Hyannis (or Brighton, depending who you ask) is already being questioned by the local press regarding his candidacy to the Charter Commission.

The local Barnstable Patriot wrote, "Before Schwaab could take out nomination papers, he had to change his voter registration from his Boston address to Barnstable, which he did Monday.

In an e-mail exchange with the Patriot in March, Schwaab said that he was considering a town council run for Precinct 3. Asked then about his residency, he pointed to his tax assessment. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2006, Schwaab the residential exemption for his Barnstable property. That carried forward for FY’07 and represented a savings of $665 in town taxes for that year.

At the same time, Schwaab was still voting in Boston according to the Barnstable Town Clerk’s office, which has access to voting histories. Town assessing director Jeff Rudziak confirmed that Schwaab received the exemption for both 2006 and 2007, but said that Schwaab did not make a request for the exemption. He said that the tax bill mailing address is the same as the property, which was among the screening criteria for determining residency in the initial year of the exemption. A request to Schwaab for clarification on residency was not answered at this writing."

So, it appears we have a candidate who did not make himself available to the local press to answer questions. There also appears to be major questions about whether he was in fact, a resident, when he said he was. Did candidate Schwaab pay his fair share of local taxes? Or did he shirk his responsibilities to this community? Was he truthful about his residential status? Why is he now attacking the local newspaper?

Public figure Eric Schwaab needs to start telling the truth and fast, if he wants the citizens of Barnstable to consider his candidacy seriously.

And isn't this the resident (non-resident) who has relentlessly questioned the honesty and integrity of many local officials and town employees over the past two years? We will find out just how honest this candidate is during this campaign.

You want some advice Eric Schwaab? Start telling the truth!

What do you think?

A Hat in the Ring

I have to give it to the local politicians. If nothing else, they know politics. And somehow and some way they did it. They drew the opposition out into their ring.

News has it that both Gary Lopez and John Julius have or will take out papers for public office. These are the two who have viciously attacked anyone and everyone who serves our community in any way, be it a Councilor, employee or Committee member.

You know the drill. Everyone (except them, of course) is corrupt. Everyone (except them, of course) is dishonest. Everyone (except them, of course) is a liar.

For two years they have questioned the honor, honesty and integrity of everyone associated with local government. All, of course, under the guise that you can say anything they want, true or not, against a person who is either a public official or a public figure.

Well, guest what? These guys just did something that no one would have predicted. They became public figures by announcing their candidacy for public office.

Oh my!!

CapeCog is short for HATE

CapeCog is really one person, Gary Lopez. Well o.k., two, if you count Lopez' gofer, John Julius.

For any person involved over the years in Barnstable politics, Gary Lopez has been seen as a do-nothing cheap shot artist who gets some perverse pleasure in attacking others while NEVER really getting anything done. He has lost all credibility with every local media outlet over the years for one simple reason. He can't be trusted. He'll stretch the truth and the facts so much, you wouldn't recognize them on a bet.

He has run for office many times but rarely gets any votes to mention. Why? Because people see him as a joke, a circus side show who is funny on occasion, but never meaningful and always humorous at someone else's expense.

If you believe him, he is responsible for everything that is good. But the successes that he claims are almost always completed by someone else. He is a legend in his own mind. If you doubt it, just ask him.

He's the type that when he meets his maker, he will wonder why there is no one at the funeral home to grieve. I have said it many times, but here it goes again. No one likes or respects a bully. And Gary Lopez is a bully who hides at home taking cheap shots at others. Can we say, gutless?

What do you think?

We Love Barnstable

There's no doubt about it. We love Barnstable. We could be elsewhere, but we CHOOSE to live in Barnstable. It is absolutely a great community. Is it perfect? Of course not. But this is where we choose to raise our family.

I love going to Craigville Beach, and Sunset Hill and Sandy Neck. We love Main Street in Hyannis and Route 6A on the northside.

There is no other place we want to be. No place. We love Barnstable. And we are not afraid to say it.

We are going to Barnstable Village to watch the morning parade. And then we will go to the beach. And we will end up the day in Hyannis at the "big" parade and Town Band concert.

The hate blogs can stew in their juices.

We love Barnstable.

Period!

A Sad Commentary

Over the past few weeks, I have asked several residents whether they would consider running for the new Charter Commission. Their response was disappointing. In a nutshell, they are discouraged by the present atmosphere of negativity that they hear about on the hate blogs and listen to during public comment at the Town Council meetings.

What a shame. These are upstanding citizens with years of professional experience and commitment to various causes in our community. They would bring an incredible level of expertise and integrity to the review process. But it looks like they, and others, don't want to get into a food fight. Life is too short and there are too many worthy endeavors that they can, and will, volunteer for.

This community loses when good people are discouraged from participating because the handful of critics take their legitimate criticism from discourse to personal attack and mean-spiritedness. The attacks that have been made on town officials, employees and volunteers are just plain wrong. And they ruin communities, not improve them.

The hate blogs need to claim ownership of that fact! Why doesn't the legitimate press, the Cape Cod Times, The Barnstable Patriot and the Register speak up on this issue? Are they now fearful of attack, too?

What do you think?

Airport Must Be Reformed

I have written extensively about the Barnstable Municipal Airport. The crowd that kind of reminds me of the gang that could not shoot straight.

The commission has unnecessarily picked fights with Barnstable residents and with our neighbors in Yarmouth. The BarnstableBlogger has recommended a simple plan to get us back on track.

My plan included:

1. The Town of Barnstable support the appointment of 2 Yarmouth residents to serve on the Airport Commission.

2. The Commission and Town Council representatives immediately meet with Airline officials to negotiate an understanding that flights don't start at the crack of dawn.

3. The Commission be required to implement a real noise monitoring and abatement Program with the help, advice and guidance of Yarmouth officials.

I watched the last Airport Commission meeting (why aren't they shown live?) and was horrified how the Yarmouth gentleman (as in gentle man) was mistreated by an arrogant Airport Commission. All he was asking for was a REAL evaluation of noise complaints in Yarmouth. The one-time, middle of the day, one hour survey was laughable. Someone should look into the staff who is responsible for such a joke.

I hereby amend my plan to also include:

4. Change the Town Charter to bring the Airport Commission under town management. This certainly would increase accountability and professionalize the operation.

5. Appoint new members to the Airport Commission. Several members (the problem, not the solution) are up for reappointment. The Council should act swiftly and decisively. And,

6. Televise all Airport Meetings live and replay them at times when people are watching.

The Town Council has a real opportunity to show leadership on this one. My bet is that they will seize the moment and do the right thing.

What do you think?

The Status of Public Comment

I love Public Comment at the Town Council meetings. I am glad we have it. And I am glad the town has public hearings on agenda items so that any citizen can offer testimony, advice and commentary. That is good stuff. The other night I learned much about alternative energy plans, elderly housing and pollution in our largest lake. The public comment on these items during the hearings was terrific.

But that wasn't the case with the general Public Comment.

The general public comment portion was a joke. First of all, a guy gets up and criticizes the town for the condition of the sidewalks on Route 6A. A very valid complaint, except for the fact that Rt. 6A is a State road, not a town road.

Next we had some guy criticizing the town for not being Hollywood East. Ya, right!

Then we hear from a homeless guy who justifiably complained about getting kicked out of the Hyannis Library. Except that Hyannis Library is a PRIVATE organization, not a town agency.

And last but not least, we have a guy named John Julius. He is a guy who the hate blogs wind up and send in every meeting to criticize the town. Doesn't matter what the topic, he criticizes. He calls himself a spokesman of and for the people. But we never get to figure out what people. If we didn't know differently, we would think that he was getting paid to appear at every meeting by someone/some group with an ax to grind with the town. Except the BarnstableBlogster doesn't know any town antagonist that would want to be associated with this guy.

Julius is a self-appointed, self anointed demagogue who smacks of arrogance, self righteousness and self importance. He knows it all, this guy. If you doubt it, just ask him.

Except for one thing. He hasn't figured out that anyone watching the Council meetings regularly has long since figured him out. Any amateur counselor (not Councilor) would have a field day analyzing his look, his demeanor, his body language and his smugness. His mean-spirited, demeaning and antagonistic persona is so offensive that even if he had something meaningful to say, it would be lost in a sea of arrogance. And if you ever caught his diatribes on the hate blogs, which he must spend most of every day on, you might think of the word, CERTIFIABLE!

And now we just received a note from a loyal Barnstableblog visitor that he is going to run for a public office. Surprise, Surprise. A real live candidate for public office. Well stay tuned ladies and gentlemen.

We'll have much more on this guy soon. A candidate for office.

Oh My!

New Leadership- Same old Tactics

The Hate Blogs are at it again. Different person, same strategy. The hate blogs strategy is to criticize the Town of Barnstable at all costs. For two years, all we read about was how dastardly then Council President Henry Farnham was. Hank Farnham this and Hank Farnham that. They attacked everything he did and everything he said. The attacked his honesty, his integrity and his motivations. Then, as if the seas parted, nary a word about Henry Farnham, since he no longer is Council President.

Now it is Janet Joakim. Janet Joakim this and Janet Joakim that. The Hate Blogs are attacking her honesty, her intergrity and her motivations. New leadership. Same old tactics.

What the Hate Blogs fail to understand is that they have no corner on the honesty and integrity market. KapeKog, John Julius and the Boston Blogster are laughing stocks in our community. The only difference among the three is that Lopez and Muffy are smart enough to stay behind the scenes and throw the grenades. Julius isn't that bright. They say jump, and Johny Boy says how high. They say go to the Council meeting every Thursday night and make a fool of yourself, and Johnny J. says, sir yes sir.

What a joke they make of themselves. What a joke they make of the process!

A Proud Day, Continued

The Barnstable Patriot's latest edition included a summary of the All America City Award:


Barnstable, an All-America City

Town makes successful pitch at competition in California
By David Still IIdstill@barnstablepatriot.com

The Town of Barnstable is now an All-America City.The Denver, Colo.-based National Civic League conferred that title on Barnstable and nine other communities at its national competition in Anaheim.Assistant Manager Paul Niedzwiecki said that the competition is not about being judged the best community in the country, but how communities have identified and met specific challenges. For Barnstable, the three areas addressed were downtown revitalization, youth initiatives and affordable housing.The revamped and “incentivized” downtown zoning, creation of the growth management department and investment in the Zion Union Heritage Museum were all part of the downtown portion of the presentation. The Zion Union Church Choir made the trip to Anaheim and performed as part of the presentation. Unlike the 20-plus minute performance at Klimm’s state of the town address in April, the choir was without instrumentation. The condensed a cappella performance was seen by town officials as being an important piece in winning the award.The 10th grade Youth Commission Chairman, Mark Raymond was also a standout, according to town council President Janet Joakim. Raymond impressed not just in the formal presentation, but also during the unscripted Q&A period with the judges, she said. As part of the affordable housing piece, a couple who was able to purchase a home through one of the programs was part of the presentation.Barnstable’s 10-minute presentation and 12 minutes of questions and answers from the judges was videotaped, but the footage has yet to be compiled. Klimm said that it would be made available when it is pieced together.The National Civic League has been giving All-America City awards since 1959. The league was started in 1894 by Theodore Roosevelt. The competition is application-based. Cities and town have to choose to enter, paying fees based on their population. Barnstable’s application, filed in March, cost $300 to enter. The town was notified in April that it was among 21 finalists to present in California.Barnstable was the only first-year winner in this year’s competition.Klimm said that traveling to the competition and talking with communities from all over the map reminded him just how big and different the United States is. He also said that there are still a lot of common issues regardless of location.Joakim, the target of a recall effort earlier this year and persistent criticism during her time as council president, said that as in Barnstable, there are critics of local governments across the country. In all, about 40 people represented Barnstable on the trip. Enough money was raised through private fund-raising to cover the entire expense of the trip, but expenses for Klimm, Niedzwiecki, Growth Management Director Ruth Weil, Director of Community Services Lynne Poyant and other town administrators were covered with town funds. Klimm said that the decision to use town travel funds was to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in accepting funding from private sources. Klimm said that the cost to Barnstable Taxpayers is less than $10,000. The town budgeted $15,000 for out of state travel for FY 2007.The additional funds raised will likely be used to offset costs to travel to Washington, D.C., as Klimm was told to expect an invitation to the White House and Congress because of the award.

David Still is the editor of the Barnstable Patriot. He welcomes your feedback.

Another round of Kudo's for our wonderful community. While Mr. Still was writing the news story, Columnist Michael Daley offered his thoughts:


Congratulations to us

By Michael Daley

Congratulations to all of us. We now live in an All-American City. This is good news, and it should be welcomed by one and all. At least this week, let’s all give ourselves a pat on the back for picking such a good community to live in.Is there room for improvement? Sure there is. I respect that there are some residents who don’t like that people outside our community think things are better than average around here. To me, most of these angry taxpayers seem to habitually disagree with a handful of individual leaders. This group just can’t accept that our community enjoys more ups than downs these days. Let’s hope things don’t ever get as bad as this group wishes they were.This national recognition is not just about a few staff members or elected officials. When my wife and I registered at our hotel in Anaheim last Saturday, we found that, at a minimum, we became the 48th and 49th residents of Barnstable in that hotel. There are 47 individuals from our community who traveled to California to tell a portion of the story of life in Barnstable. That’s another indication of why success flows towards us here in Barnstable: Teamwork is very much a key to our award. Much of the award centers on youth, who have been served very well by our local government. The fact that a new recreation facility is primarily being built by you, me and the rest of our taxpaying neighbors is a fact. The original promoters of the facility clearly can’t add one with one and get two. One of the early hustlers of the facility even claims he raised $18 million for the project. These P.T. Barnum types didn’t get us recognized as an All-American community; the elected leaders of this community created a youth commission many years ago. Recently a majority of our elected leaders took the last of several difficult votes. Courageous leadership is the reason we have national recognition.The issue of affordable housing is also very difficult to manage from the local town hall. There are so many uncontrollable variables that impact this socio-economic goal. The same is true from the development side. Our local government’s previous behavior has not helped affordable housing matters at all. Some twenty plus years ago many of us, myself included, voted for zoning by-laws that hurt our community in this arena.Another large part of the town’s efforts were geared towards protecting our fragile environment. Prior elected leaders’ votes that created two-acre house lots and eliminated condominium residence construction also historically hurt our town’s affordable housing efforts. Our current staff and elected leaders have worked both with the old rules we gave them and with a few new ones they voted for. Our national recognition is both because of our leaders and in spite of them. Historically our leaders have always acted in our best interest. Today is no different, and it could possibly be even better than in the past.The fact that fundraising helped get all of those volunteers out to California is testimony to our business leaders’ commitment to this community. There is no question that our business leaders helped Barnstable to achieve this new recognition. There are some business leaders that valiantly donated towards our new recreational facility. One local family business was especially generous during the fundraising effort.Barnstable’s award-winning formula was very representative of who and what we are as a community. We were very well-served by a good team of cross-representation from businesses, the government and the community. Thank you for believing in yourselves and the special place where we live. Thank you for taking the risk of rejection. Perhaps there was a bit of help from a special white-gloved mouse or from Peter Pan’s pixie friend in Anaheim. Whatever it was, thank you to all 47 citizens who traveled to a place where dreams can come true. At least one resident is grateful that you did. Good job!




The Column summarizes the feelings of many in Barnstable who are proud to call this community our home. This is a Proud Day for Barnstable!

A Proud Day For Barnstable

The news that Barnstable won national recognition as an All American City is wonderful. The residents who traveled to California are owed our thanks for representing our community is such a thoughtful and meaningful way. When compared to other communities in either Massachusetts or in this country, we seem to consistently come out on top.

Barnstable is a great place to live, work and play. This is a proud day for Barnstable!

Their Day is Ruined, Simply Ruined

Man Oh Man. How the Hate Bloggers day was ruined. According to the Cape Cod Times, the Town of Barnstable won the coveted All America City Award. The Town beat out hundreds of other communities to make it to the final competition in California.

A delegation went out (paid for privately) and competed with the 20 best. And Barnstable won. We won. What a nice feeling. Unless you're a Hate Blogger.

The KapeKogster declared the competition was fixed. The BostonMugster said that something was amiss. Man, Oh Man, how they hate to see Barnstable succeed.

The want Barnstable to fail at any cost.

Because they hate Barnstable.

Always did. Always will.

And you wonder why the hate bloggers have no credibility? It's because most Barnstable residents love our town. Always did. Always will!

Slow but Steady Start

The Barnstable Patriot reports today that the elections are on in Barnstable. Several candidates for Charter Commission, Town Council, School Committee, Housing Authority and Town Collector have jumped into the ring. We need, and hope, more candidates will follow over the next few weeks.


We are blessed with residents with vast experience and expertise, but we need them to step forward. How can we convince good candidates to commit themselves to running for office, especially in this time of negativity?

Any suggestions?

Time for Citizens to Step Forward

The long-awaited announcement came the other day that enough signatures have been gathered to form a Charter Commission. No surprises there. Why would any Barnstable resident not sign a petition to periodically study our form of government to look for improvements. We have had many Charter Commissions in the past, and should have periodic review in the future.

Which begs the question, why not just build a periodic review into the new Charter?

Having said that, On Election Day in November, we will be asked two questions:

1. Do we want to form a 9 member Charter Commission? The Barnstable Blogster hopes all vote YES.

2. If so, we also get to vote on who we want to serve?

But before we get that chance, people have to choose to run. That is much easier said than done. Over the past few years, there has been a constant barrage of personal attacks and negativity that probably will have an negative impact on who is willing to serve. We hope that isn't the case.

Our future depends on quality individuals coming forward to serve. Citizens who bring to the table an open mind, a willingness to work hard to research the issues and an ability to sell their end-product to us.

The Charter Commission should not be an extension of the personality and ego driven hate mongering that we read on local blogs. It should be a positive process designed to bring people Together. Now that would be a welcome change.

So, what about a run for office? If you just can't swing it, why not try to convince other respected citizens to run.

The BarnstableBlogger was impressed with the wonderful and diverse people who volunteered their time on the Council Review Committee. We hope we'll see a similar group of talented, diverse and compassionate citizens elected to the new Charter Commission. Any ideas on who you would like to see serve? Any thoughts on how to overcome the recent negativity to get talented persons to come forward?

What do you think?

The Conspiracy Theories are Laughable

You got to hand it to the Hate Blogs. They see a conspiracy behind every rock. And if they don't see one, they just make it up.

Their latest repetition is the Town acquisition of the Barnstable Water Company. BostonBugsy and KapeKog can't attack the fact that the company is now in public ownership, for even they must admit it is the best thing that has happened locally in years. The local water districts in Barnstable and those in other towns have hailed the move to public ownership. So did the Hyannis Civic Association, the Hyannis Chamber of Commerce, the Main Street group, and many others. The Water Division now has an oversight committee made up of Hyannis residents and businesses. We all know and respect them.

So the only other thing the Hate Blogs can attack is the cost. The Town bought the Barnstable Water Company and its holdings for $11 million dollars. Connecticut Water Company had bought it for $6 million 5 years before.

The Hate Blogs say that the Town paid too much. The Hate Blogs even went to the Cape Cod Times crying that the Town paid too much. So the Cape Cod Times fell for the trap and contacted not one but two, independent water company experts to evaluate the purchase price. Both concluded that the town did its due diligence and paid a reasonable price for the company. The Cape Cod Times must still be smarting for falling for the Hate Blogs misinformation.

The Hate Blogs mantra is that anything associated with Barnstable is bad. Its an old record with no credibility. Maybe someday Muppy will move to the Cape and learn what is really going on here. And maybe someday KapeKog will get over his bitterness for losing so many elections.

And now our water company is owned by our citizens, not some out of state corporation. A group of our neighbors review the operations regularly. We now make our own decisions.

We thank our Town Council for their leadership in acquiring our water source!

What do you think?

Veteran's Friend: Sid Chase

It's Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully, most of us will take at least a moment to think of our Veterans, past and present. But what about the guy who helps Veterans every day of the year, Sid Chase.

Sid (Larry) Chase is the Veteran's Agent for most of the Towns on Cape Cod. And he has been so for years. Sid has quietly, but incredibly effectively, helped tens of thousands of Veterans over the years. Whether it is an issue regarding health care or employment or benefits, Sid Chase has been there for every Veteran in need.

Sid Chase is a friend to all Veterans. He is a remarkable man who has dedicated his life serving our Veterans. During this Memorial Day Weekend, let's remember our Veterans. And let's also remember and thank the incredible team who serves our Veterans all year long under the leadership of Sid Chase!

The Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling.

The sky is falling. The sky is falling. That is the mantra of the local hate blogs. Their standard line is the town does everything wrong and they have all the answers. They, of course, are the BostonBlogster and CapeKog.

So the latest salvo deals with the airport, yet again. The Hate Blogs are force fed a story line from the competitor of a business entity who wants a lease at the airport to conduct the same type of operation that the dime dropping complainer has. Isn't competition great? Stop the competition under the guise of environmental protection.

But you see, as long as the story line is "bash the town" the hate blogs will go along with anyone. Even a competitor who is trying to stop another business from opening up shop to do the same thing the dime dropper is doing.

So this time it's about environmental protection. Kinda strange that the "johnny come lately" environmentalists weren't tooting their horns before. Did any of you see any of these wizards at an airport commission meeting in the past trying to stop other operations, like say, the dime-dropper himself?

The truth is that the town bought the Hyannis Water Company from a Connecticut outfit. A Water Committee of Hyannis residents and businesses were formed to work to put a plan to improve the water system. According to the Town Council, The Board is working to put into place performance standards to protect the water. President Janet Joakim said that the Water Committee is working with the Town's Water Quality Advisory Committee and other experts to put standards into place for ALL business activities in the area, not just the latest business to come along.

So the issue isn't about zoning or leases. It is about putting into place a set of regulations or standards that require that water sources are protected.

The Water Committee should be applauded for their leadership in finally putting into place what should have been there years ago.

I am glad our citizens group is working hard to get the protections we need. I am also glad we own our water source.

Of course, you won't see that on the hate blogs. They would rather partner with a business who wants to stop competition. Have you seen any of the hate blogs demand actions against the company who is trying to stop another company from trying to do the same thing he is dong?

Of course not. This isn't really about protecting water. It's about bashing the Town.

Again.

What do you think?